| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Study of a Woman by Honore de Balzac: be doubly thankful that Monsieur le marquis met me; he affords me an
opportunity to offer you excuses which might be full of danger were
you not kindness itself."
The marquise looked at the young man with an air of some surprise, but
she answered with dignity:--
"Monsieur, silence on your part will be the best excuse. As for me, I
promise you entire forgetfulness, and the pardon which you scarcely
deserve."
"Madame," said Rastignac, hastily, "pardon is not needed where there
was no offence. The letter," he added, in a low voice, "which you
received, and which you must have thought extremely unbecoming, was
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from King James Bible: the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
JOH 5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
JOH 5:34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say,
that ye might be saved.
JOH 5:35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for
a season to rejoice in his light.
JOH 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works
which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear
witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
JOH 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness
of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
King James Bible |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: The sound of Mr. Winters' breathing was comforting; with the
thought that there was help within call, something kept me from
waking him. I did not move for a moment; ridiculous things Liddy
had said about a ghost--I am not at all superstitious, except,
perhaps, in the middle of the night, with everything dark--things
like that came back to me. Almost beside me was the clothes
chute. I could feel it, but I could see nothing. As I stood,
listening intently, I heard a sound near me. It was vague,
indefinite. Then it ceased; there was an uneasy movement and a
grunt from the foot of the circular staircase, and silence again.
I stood perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe.
The Circular Staircase |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: no notice. Eh, Catriona, it took me a long while to forgive the world.
There is not anything more bitter than to lose a fancied friend."
Then she began to question me close upon his looks and character, for
we were each a great deal concerned in all that touched the other; till
at last, in a very evil hour, I minded of his letters and went and
fetched the bundle from the cabin.
"Here are his letters," said I, "and all the letters that ever I got.
That will be the last I'll can tell of myself; ye know the lave as well
as I do."
"Will you let me read them, then?" says she.
I told her, IF SHE WOULD BE AT THE PAINS; and she bade me go away and
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